Author: Katya

We’ve been loving all the Best Welcome Home Ever video submissions!  For example, have you ever seen a Pittie mix talk?  Well, here’s your chance!  Click here to watch Gamble the sweet pup welcome his mama home!  I personally love seeing all of Gamble’s furry siblings make their cameos!  You can watch more hilarious and sweet videos, or submit your own, at www.bestwelcomehomever.com!  We will be making our very own Public Service Announcement based on submissions so your pet could become a star!  We hope you will submit your video before May 28th, 2012 when our campaign wraps up.  We welcome you to share your best welcome home ever with us!

We love hearing stories of triumph!  We love it when an underdog – literally – proves not only to be different than assumed, but to go above and beyond expectations.  I’m sure we’ve all heard many stories of Pitbulls who overcome stereotypes and victoriously prove their goodness.  This breed that gets so much put up on them, so much false baggage which they must carry around like a heavy weight, bearing it anyway so they can show you their love.  What will it take for more people to believe that Pitbulls are wonderful?  We at Adopt-a-Pet.com never get tired of hearing another tale that tears down the misconceptions of Pitbulls!  Check out Scooter’s story here and read about a dog who was used to intimidate, but ultimately cast aside for her unwavering sweetness.  That is until a fabulous rescue came to save her!  From “thug” to therapy dog in training, Scooter is soaring past limitations and surprising everyone with her abilities.

Photo: Courtesy Born Again Pit Bull Rescue. Scooter, who loves to give kisses, licks Merissa Micochero, who fostered and trained her. Thanks to Micochero, Born Again Pit Bull Rescue and Scooter’s new owner, she has a new leash on life.

So many of you are heroes out there doing the same – looking beyond breed and judgments, pushing aside hype and fear, looking into the eyes of a dog and seeing their truth.  We thank you for helping pave the way for Pitbulls everywhere, and we applaud you for showing them to be who they really are!  All dogs are individuals, unique unto themselves, and dogs like Scooter remind us that love knows no breed or boundary.  If you rescue Pitbulls, foster or have adopted Pitties, we thank you for the work you do to help us celebrate these marvelous dogs!

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Brought to you by Adopt-a-Pet.com, Woof University is a video series of pet-related training tips! This week someone posted a question on our Facebook page asking about how to get their black Labrador to stop jumping on the glass door. Check out Katya this Adopt-a-Pet.com Woof University video to learn some training tips addressing this issue!  You can post your pet-related questions on Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Facebook or Twitter page with the hashtag # AskKatya and once a week, we’ll be picking a question to answer with video just like this one! Whether it’s a dog training question, how to stop an undesirable behavior, or maybe there is something that your pet is doing you’re just curious to know what it means – feel free to ask away!

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Brought to you by Adopt-a-Pet.com, Woof University is a video series of pet-related training tips! Click here to watch the introduction video that asks: Have a question about training or dog behavior? Ask Katya! Meet Katya Friedman, Adopt-a-Pet.com’s resident trainer. Post your pet-related questions on Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Facebook page here or our Twitter page here and include the hashtag #AskKatya — and once a week, we’ll be picking a question to answer with video! Whether it’s a dog training question, how to stop a dog’s undesirable behavior, or maybe there is something that your dog is doing you’re just curious to know what it means – feel free to ask away!

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There’s nothing I personally love more than cuddling on the couch with my dog while I watch my favorite TV show!  But I understand that not every pet owner wants their pups to have full access to their furniture.  Instead of deciding not to let your pet up on the sofa at all, you might want to consider teaching the commands “on” and “off” so that you can both enjoy your snuggle time when appropriate.

Here’s how to practice “on” and “off”.  Invite your pooch onto the sofa by sitting on it and patting the cushion, saying “on”.  Know that the couch is intrinsically rewarding because it is soft and comfortable, therefore your dog will not need a treat or petting to reinforce “on”.  After a moment, ask your pup “off” by using a treat in your hand to lure him off the couch.  Once he jumps off, release the treat and praise him with affection perhaps reinforcing with “good off!”.  Your goal with the treats is to make your pet a believer that being “off” is just as fun as being up on the couch!  Keep in mind that your praise and affection is a strong reinforcer as well.  If your dog gets tons of love when he jumps onto the couch, he’ll always want to get up there!  If you’d prefer he not jump onto your sofa, make sure to give all the love and affection when he is “off”.  Your pup will notice that your kindness is associated with not being on the furniture.

Practice “on” and “off” drills for ten minutes each day.  If your dog is off and starts to move his weight forward or try to jump onto the couch without being invited first, gently let him know not to do, then wait a few moments and remind him an invitation is required by asking him up to join you.  When you are not able to keep an eye on him perhaps leave your dog in another room where he will not have access to the couch and be tempted to jump up without you being there.  If you decide you would like not to have your pets on your furniture, please set up a dog bed in your living room so that Fido can be near you, enjoying your company.  If he has a comfy bed of his own and you have practiced your “on” and “off” commands, he will be happy enough resting in his own place.  Although in my home we are happy to let our pets have the run of the mill, what matters most is that your pets get to spend time with you.  You are after all a family.

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Isn’t it wonderful to return home each day to an enthusiastic greeting by your furry friends? There’s nothing like it. Now, you can help us show the world that when you adopt a pet, you always have a warm welcome waiting for you. Adopt-a-Pet.com is creating a public service announcement (PSA) called  “The Best Welcome Home EVER!“, starring none other than YOUR pets!

Please help us spread the word about our Best Welcome Home Ever PSA campaign by sharing the link on Facebook, Twitter, or by emailing your friends and inviting them to upload a video of their own welcoming committee!

Show Us Your Best Welcome Home EVER!

When it comes to giving your pet a bath, a little preparation and the right products make all the difference. Your pet loves attention from you. One of the best ways to give her that attention is through regular grooming — and that includes bath time. Some pets just like rolling around in the dirt; others are great about keeping themselves clean. Either way, there are times when you’ll want to give your pet a bath. Click here for some tips on how to make bath time easier and more fun for the both of you.

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TargetCW is one of those companies we just love because they totally get it when it comes to pet adoption.  A payrolling and staffing company located in San Diego, they not only advocate for homeless pets, they’ve gone ahead and implemented a company-wide program where $100 is reimbursed to any employee who adopts a pet from a shelter or rescue!  Now that’s putting your money where your heart is. TargetCW also allows their employees to bring their pets to work, helping support pet retention and keeping the work place extra loving and cuddly.   Natalie Dugger is a Senior Account Manager there and here’s what she has to say about adopting her pup, Hank, and how much she appreciates being able to bring him into the office:

“The ability to bring my dog to work has been a huge blessing!  I cannot think of a better employee benefit.  No matter what stress comes my way, my 3 ½ month old Akita/Mastiff puppy, Hank, puts a smile on my face.  I wish all companies were like TargetCW when it comes to pets!  They allow me to bring my puppy to work every day and even paid for my adoption of Hank through their pet adoption reimbursement program.  Hank was rescued through San Diego Animal Rescue and would not be in my life without a pet-friendly workplace.  Plus, I could not give Hank the attention he needs as a puppy without the ability to bring him into the office!  It’s not unusual to have a number of dogs running around the office at TargetCW, and it has been great for our employee morale.  The whole office plays with Hank, takes him for walks and even buys him toys!  He is so spoiled!  Not to mention how great it’s been for the dogs to socialize instead of being locked up all day.  Believe it or not, I’ve even been working longer hours, too!”

Please consider making your company more pet friendly!  Perhaps by participating in Take Your Dog to Work Day, you’ll get a great start for how to make the change.  Furry friends, paperwork and deadlines can mix!

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The wonderful pet-loving folks over at PEOPLEPets.com  celebrity pet website have partnered with Adopt-a-Pet.com to help homeless pets get some publicity in their Adopt Me series! This week it is sweet-natured Nikki from Richmond Virginia who’s looking for a home – even a foster home would be great until she finds her forever home. To learn more about her and see four fun photos including a rolling in the grass and hanging out with her human friends, visit her Adopt-a-Pet.com profile! Nikki is living proof that animals can be disheartened. The Animal Adoption and Rescue Foundation of Richmond, Va., saved her from a kill shelter three years ago when she was pregnant and heartworm positive; she’s been in and out of foster homes and boarding facilities ever since. Her puppies were adopted, but years later, the energetic 3-year-old is still waiting for her chance. “Her previous boarding facility told us she’d been getting depressed,” says AARF’s president Cindy Chiles-Smith. “So we moved her to another boarding facility just to give her a new outlook. Now she’s not as bad as she was. She’s kind of getting out of it.”

You can read more about Nikki on PEOPLEPets.com and if you or one of your friends might know of a great home looking to adopt or foster an only dog in the Richmond, VA area, please share Nikki’s story with them! You can easily share on your Facebook, Twitter and more by using the icons below.

Our friends over at Bark Busters have put together these great tips for dog owners in multi-user residences! “We all know what joy having a canine companion can bring, no matter where we call home. However, for those who live in multi-unit dwellings, a misbehaved dog whose barking and bad manners disturbs others can easily cause ill-will among the most rational of tenants.  Bark Busters, the world’s largest dog training company, offers these tips below for dog-owners who share living space in apartments, condos, townhomes and the like.

• Before moving into your new residence, thoroughly check the unit and complex surroundings for potential dog hazards to ensure your dog’s safety.
• Socializing your dog is essential in a busy, high-traffic environment. As soon as you move in, introduce yourself and your dog to your immediate neighbors. This lets your dog become familiar with the people—and dogs—he may encounter every day. Get to know other canine-owning neighbors so you can care for each another’s dogs in the event of delays in getting home.
• Be respectful of others. Before getting on an elevator, ask if everyone is comfortable with your dog riding along. If there is already another dog inside, wait for the next one or take the stairs.  A small confined area can become a threatening environment for the dogs.
• Always position yourself between your dog and passersby in hallways and other public areas.
• Take extra care when walking on staircases. Small dogs may fall between the stairs or through the railings. In addition, you could trip on your dog as you both maneuver the steps. Train your dog to walk slowly by your side when on stairs, and to wait to give other residents the right of way.
• Consider taking an obedience class or having one-on-one training with your dog—you’ll both learn a lot and be better neighbors. In addition, making your dog think expends as much energy as physical activity. Provide 10 to 15 minutes of training daily on basics such as sit, stay, come, and walking on leash. Doing this twice a day is even better.
• If the weather is bad, practice obedience with your dog in the building’s hallways and lobbies (if safe), as well as at home.
• Keep your dog busy when indoors by providing high-quality, treat-rewarding food-puzzle or food-stuffed toys. Switch out his toys every few days so he has new and fun things to hold his interest.
• Don’t let your dog become a nuisance barker. If he barks when you are at home, learn ways to manage his noisy behavior to help you and your neighbors enjoy a quieter living environment. If he barks when you are away from home, consult with a qualified dog behavioral therapist to learn how to stop the barking and keep the peace.
• Consider crate-training your dog. Because dogs are descended from den-dwelling animals, a crate or pet carrier makes a natural shelter. Provide soft bedding and keep the crate in an area of your home where he feels most comfortable. Crating your dog when you’re not home ensures a safe environment for him, minimizes chances of his barking, and helps prevent him from causing damage. Avoid leaving your dog unattended or locked on an apartment balcony.
• Get training that will help you understand your dog. Knowing your dog’s unique temperament and tendencies will help you to better control how he behaves. A well-behaved dog is less likely to upset people and other pets in public places, will be more welcome at gatherings, and will enjoy a better relationship with everyone he meets. Plus, his good manners will reflect positively on you, his responsible owner.

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